"I have indeed two great measures at heart,without which no republic can maintain itself in strength:1. That of general education, to enable every man to judge for himselfwhat will secure or endanger his freedom.2. To divide every county into hundreds, of such size that allthe children of each will be within reach of a central school in it."

Quote by:

Thomas Jefferson(1743-1826), US Founding Father, drafted the Declaration of Independence, 3rd US President

Source:

in a letter to John Tyler, 1810.
The Writings of Thomas Jefferson, Memorial Edition 12:393 (Lipscomb and Bergh, editors), 1903-04